Addiction Detox & Recovery Programs

Dr. Grodski uses a special non-pharmaceutical method for detoxing from drug dependence and recovering from addiction.

The first stage of the White Rock Naturopathic Revive! programme is a functional medical assessment that looks for bodily conditions (such as functional and chemical disorders, neurotransmitter levels and their corresponding deficiencies and imbalances, nutritional requirements and deficiencies, etc.) that contribute to addictive behaviours and dependence in general. This enables us to tailor your withdrawal and recovery programme to meet your unique biochemical requirements.

In order to prepare for detox, we immediately start an oral supplementation programme that is individually customised to your needs and inadequacies after our examination. The underlying neurotransmitter inadequacies that have contributed to a person’s specific drug dependency and emotional make-up or (im)balance are started to be addressed in this way.Depending on each person’s unique needs, this oral supplement programme may continue for a while after the 5–10 day core therapy is finished.

The detoxification process may then move forward with the fewest potential negative effects of withdrawal when the NAD+ Brain Restoration and Neurotransmitter Rehabilitation therapy is started. This entails IV infusions of glutathione, vitamin C, high dosage vitamin/multimineral, NAD+, and individualised amino acids for a duration of 4 to 10 days. The length of IV infusions varies; although glutathione and Myer’s vitamin/multi-mineral IVs normally last 30 minutes to an hour, NAD+ is a very slow IV that typically lasts 4 to 8 hours, depending on dosage and patient tolerance. While lounging on a lounge chair, an IV line is placed in the arm, and an IV formulation is gradually infused. During the infusion, one may read, watch television, eat, or even nod out.

Surprisingly fast, the unpleasant cravings and withdrawal symptoms go away and stay away. On days four through eight, patients frequently express experiences of astounding mental clarity. The administration of infusions is well tolerated, and any moderate side effects vanish as soon as the infusion is stopped or completed.

Based on increased levels of cellular energy generation and restored synthesis of neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, intravenous NAD+ and amino acids improve brain function. Neurotransmitter and neuroreceptor levels significantly improve throughout therapy. When compared to “cold turkey” withdrawal, there are withdrawal symptoms for the first two or three days, although they are reduced by 70 to 90%. After three to five days, cravings lessen, withdrawal symptoms go away, and mental clarity returns.

While receiving IV NAD+ treatment can significantly lessen withdrawal symptoms, improve mood and cognition, and generally return one’s brain and neurological functioning to a much more at ease, healthy, normal state that can provide one with the opportunity for a fresh start, it is both highly advised and essential to enrol in a supportive recovery programme after treatment is finished to ensure overall success.

Possible recovery programs includes:

• AA, NA, and/or other 12-step program
• Individual, Group or Family psychotherapy
• Positive Addictions programs (exercise, hobbies, and other social groups)
• Residential and/or Intensive Outpatient Programs

The Revive! Substance Detox Program (5 or 10 days) includes the following:

1. Functional Medical Assessment & Lab workup;
2. 30 day Oral Supplement Program (Amino Acids, Vitamins/Minerals, Nootropics, Botanicals, etc);
3. IV NAD+ & Amino Acid therapy (individualized); (Hitt protocol NeuroRecover IV formulations are also available);
4. IV Vitamin C + high dose vitamin/multi-mineral (Myer’s) infusions;
5. IV Glutathione infusions;

A list of average durations for typical NAD+ uses:

Anti-Aging, Anxiety, Depression, Post Concussion, Lyme Disease, CFS/FM: 5-10 days

Alcohol Withdrawal: 10 days

Stimulants: 10 days

(i.e. Amphetamines, Methamphetamine, Speed, Crack, Crystal Meth, Aderrall, Cocaine, Ecstasy)

Opiates: 10 days

(i.e. Oxycontin, Heroin, Morphine, Percocet, Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Tramadol, Codeine, Dilaudid, Demerol, Fentanyl)

Suboxone, Subutex: 10-15 days

Methadone: 10-15 days

Benzodiazepines / Tranquilizers: 10-15 days

(i.e. Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Clonazepam, Ativa

Poly Substances: 10-15 days

It is required for patients receiving chemical detox that a trusted friend or family member transport the patient to and from the clinic over the first several days and stay with them for continuous supervision outside of the clinic. After a few days when patients are feeling noticeably better (approximately day 3-5), they can safely drive themselves. Patients receiving IV BR+ therapy for stress relief, PTSD, or to treat other medical conditions do not require additional support at home or for driving beyond normal personal needs.

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide is known as NAD. It is a co-enzyme that is produced by our bodies naturally and plays a crucial part in every cell in the body’s metabolism and energy generation. Our bodies create the structure of this unique molecule by mixing derivatives of vitamin B-3 with the amino acid tryptophan. Without NAD, our bodies and cells cannot survive.

You can move, breathe, pump blood, digest food, think, and generally live your life thanks to a molecule called NAD that interacts with oxygen in the mitochondria of every cell in your body to produce cellular energy (ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, the body’s fundamental energy molecule). It performs over 100 metabolic tasks in the human body, therefore it’s not surprising that it has a direct role in diseases that influence cellular ageing, physical and mental health, and other problems.

It is now understood that the absence of this vital cellular fuel is a major contributing factor in chronic fatigue, apathy, depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug addiction, weakened immune function (infections and cancer), muscle pain and weakness, headaches, memory impairment, sleep issues, focus and concentration issues, and other chronic diseases.

Some of the functions of NAD in the body include:

• Increases brain cell energy
  
• Improves mood by stimulating the synthesis of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline
• Increases cardiac cell energy
• Reduces DNA abnormalities that cause diseases including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, immune weakness, and atherosclerosis by protecting and repairing DNA
• According to Dr. Richard Passwater in his book NADH-The Energising Coenzyme, NADH is the body’s “most potent antioxidant.”
• Lowers cholesterol
• Lowers blood pressure
• Strengthens the immune system
• Stimulates the synthesis of nitric oxide, which improves blood flow in the body

What the brain requires for proper functioning is provided by NAD+ Brain Restoration Therapy. Neurotransmitters, which are brain chemicals, are depleted in the brain by stress, depression, addiction, alcoholism, and post-traumatic stress disorder. By providing the brain what it needs to operate normally again, treatment aids patients in replenishing their neurotransmitter supply, abstaining from addictive drugs, and overcoming anxiety, depression, chronic or acute stress, post-traumatic stress, and degenerative neurological disorders. These therapies are entirely nutrient-based; they don’t include any additional drugs that might lead to dependence or addiction. They are substances that a healthy body naturally produces.

Niacin or Vitamin B-3 taken orally in addition to tryptophan does not have the same impact as an IV infusion of NAD+. The effects of the medication do not compensate for a vitamin B-3 shortage that results from diet. For enough levels of NAD to be present for rapid detoxification and large brain restorative impact to occur off of alcohol, opiates, stimulants, and benzodiazepines, intravenous (IV) dosing is necessary vs. oral therapy. Patients who do not have a dietary insufficiency respond well to IV NAD for acute withdrawal.

Most patients report no cravings at the conclusion of the NAD+ formula treatment. They talk of having more mental clarity, peaceful sleep, greater problem-solving skills, more energy, better focus and concentration, and better mood.

The first studies proving the effectiveness and safety of IV NAD in helping patients detox from alcohol, opiates, tranquillizers, and stimulants were carried out in the early 1960s. Since then, this procedure has gained recognition and widespread use as one of the best detox and brain-restoration therapies available.

NeuroRecover ™ – Individualized NAD+ / Amino Acid Formulations

At White Rock Naturopathic, we provide both the Dr. Hitt-created NeuroRecover programme and conventional NAD+ & Amino Acid IV formulations.

Based on years of clinical research and therapy, NeuroRecover is a cutting-edge, non-addictive programme designed specifically for each patient. The NeuroRecover programme uses specialised intravenous detoxification preparations based on amino acids along with novel oral nutraceutical supplements to help with symptom management both during detoxification and as a continuing approach to curb cravings.

The patient-specific IV formulations and distinctive oral nutraceutical supplements used in the NeuroRecover programme are intended to help the body quickly return neuroreceptor function to normal levels. The patient’s desires for these drugs will diminish after the body’s neuroreceptor functions have been restored, allowing the clinician to treat any other underlying issues that contributed to the patient’s original substance usage.

These calculations were made using data from Dr. William M. Hitt’s more than 15 years of treating more than 3,000 patients. Based on the nature and intensity of the substance usage, the initial phase of supplementing is patient-specific and aims to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and ensure that the body fully restores nutritional balance.

How is the NeuroRecover therapy delivered?

The NeuroRecover treatment entails many days of regular intravenous therapy, typically without breaks. NeuroRecover® formulations are intrinsically well tolerated since they are made up completely of relatively simple amino acids, which are the natural components of proteins and serve as an enzyme cofactor. To prevent adverse reactions, your doctor will keep an eye on you during the whole course of therapy.

The IV mixture is administered slowly over a period of around six hours each day to begin, reducing to fewer hours while detox and healing take place.

The majority of patients who are still using drugs or alcohol are able to quit using them entirely (or “cold turkey”) on the first day of therapy thanks to the continuous daily exposure to high doses of amino acids and minerals. Although some withdrawal symptoms will be experienced, most patients report that they are considerably less uncomfortable than if they tried to quit on their own without the program’s help.

Patients have discovered that by the fourth day of therapy, the main side effects of drug or alcohol use, such as cravings and anxiety, had disappeared. At this moment, one enters the second phase of recovery, which focuses on regaining enthusiasm, memory and mental clarity, sleep quality, and vitality. Your doctor will work with you to figure out how many treatment days are necessary for the best, longest-lasting outcome.

Will the effect last?

The majority of patients have discovered that, as long as one refrains from reusing the same drugs, the good benefits of NeuroRecover treatment are long-lasting. Even while some people like a recurring booster, repeat IV treatments are rarely necessary. Patients often get an oral supplement after-care programme using Zao® Reset™ and Zao® Renew™. Over the past ten years, the Hitt Clinic and Montiff, Inc. have collaborated on the formulation and design of these two special nutraceutical supplements. Dr. Hitt’s work on neuroreceptor function and amino acid balance, as well as Montiff’s knowledge of nutritional biochemistry, served as the foundation for the supplements. Following intravenous therapy, the patient will take these supplements to maintain balanced amino acid levels and optimal neuroreceptor activity. The patient should sustain their desire decrease and observe the restoration of mental clarity by promoting daily neuroreceptor function and amino acid balance, which will improve the patient’s chance to live drug-free.

High Dose IV Vitamin C & Detox

Numerous studies have looked at the role that vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) supplementation plays in helping users of opiates like heroin and methadone to successfully detox. Researchers have proposed that it may be able to wean addicts off of heroin or methadone without the onset of withdrawal symptoms by treating hypo-ascorbemia (low Vitamin C blood levels) and malnutrition.

It is surprising how quickly people with addictions start to feel better overall 12 to 24 hours after starting vitamin C detoxification. This is shown by heightened mental clarity, sharper vision, and a resurgence of hunger.

Greek researchers compared the outcomes of giving three groups of heroin-dependent males ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). The first set of 30 male patients underwent conventional medical detoxification treatment.

The second group received both high doses of vitamin C and conventional medical care, whereas the third group solely received high doses of vitamin C. A member of the staff at the facility assessed the patient for the onset and severity of withdrawal symptoms.

The researchers discovered that just 10% to 16.6% of patients who got large doses of Vitamin C orally, either alone or in combination with conventional therapy for heroin addiction, experienced severe withdrawal symptoms. In comparison, 56.6% of patients who got just conventional medical therapy (without vitamin C medication) suffered from severe withdrawal. In addition, in contrast to the control group, the vitamin C-treated patients reported vivid feelings of wellbeing at the end of the four-week follow-up period, as well as a marked improvement in appetite and psychokinetic behaviour.

Those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction may be among the most malnourished and nutrient-deficient groups in healthcare. This dietary approach helps “neutralise” the intoxicating substance(s) present in the body and corrects underlying metabolic imbalances. Customised nutritional medications are often administered orally and intravenously as part of treatments that aggressively address internal deficiency.

In addition to Vitamin C, a number of additional minerals may be helpful for drug and alcohol addictions. It is crucial to emphasise that any nutritional imbalance or deficit has the potential to impede the healing process. A vitamin B1 deficit, for instance, cannot be treated or assisted by supplementing with another B vitamin, vitamin C, etc. Surprisingly, the majority of traditional detox & recovery facilities do not provide routine laboratory testing in this area or adopt, recommend, or incorporate proper nutritional supplements.

Dr. Grodski’s unique treatment concept: the “orthomolecular” treatment of addictions

In order to prevent and treat disease, orthomolecular therapy makes use of a variety of natural products, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, vital fatty acids, and food.

The favourable effects of the right nutrients for easing withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and mood swings in persons attempting to stop using alcohol, heroin, and other substances have previously been demonstrated in a number of study studies. For instance, magnesium is beneficial for alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal, vitamin C assists in the detoxification of heroin and methadone, and the B vitamin niacin may lessen agitation and anxiety in alcoholism.

Both addiction therapy and mental health care benefit from the use of orthomolecular therapies. Numerous advantages of therapy have reportedly been noted, such as better responses to conventional drugs and therapies, decreased dangers of drug toxicity and nervous system impairment, decreased recurrence rates, and increased general well-being. The ultimate objective of orthomolecular therapy is to offer stability on the bodily and mental levels without introducing new dangers or difficulties. Patients who use this method of treatment frequently report feeling refreshed and relaxed. Patients who receive therapy also have better skin color and tone.

The actions of neurotransmitters are either mimicked by alcohol and mood-altering medications (legal or illicit), or they are purposefully stimulated or suppressed. Numerous medications have an impact on certain neurotransmitters and their receptors. The inherent capacity of the brain cells to transmit or receive information can be gradually reduced with continued use of these medicines.The nervous system subsequently becomes physiologically reliant on the drug, using it in an effort to keep up appearances of normalcy and prevent withdrawal. Addiction is based on this. Both abrupt withdrawal and gradual reduction in consumption can be extremely sluggish and uncomfortable processes. Either approach frequently fails or leaves users with persistent anxiety, sadness, sleeplessness, and other unpleasant side effects.Alcohol or drugs can only fill the hole they have caused for themselves. Any health issues the person may have had before to consuming the drugs are made worse by this chemical dependence.

The brain is not built for this kind of extended or intense chemical exposure, which is why drugs and alcohol can change it so quickly.In a precisely balanced manner, the brain develops extremely slowly during childhood and adolescence, and these chemicals upset that crucial equilibrium. The body does not always have enough naturally occurring protein repair components to fix this kind of damage.

If a patient does relapse, a simple one or two day booster can be sufficient for restoration provided the patient returns for a booster as soon as possible after using or if cravings return.

Treatment of both the body and the psyche is essential for effective therapy since addiction affects both. Based on the idea that the mind and body are one, mind-body medicine promotes wellness and harmony in the mind-body system and offers extremely effective treatment for addiction. Relapse is more probable and treatment is ineffective if you detoxify, or withdraw from alcohol or a substance, without also treating the bodily issues that cause exhaustion, despair, and worry. Similar to how not understanding the psychological or spiritual problems that led to the need for a substance when you quit from it increases the likelihood of recurrence and shows that the “lessons of disease” have not been learnt.

The body

Integrative, or, functional medicine provides the tools to assess and treat the conditions in the body that contribute to fatigue, depression, and anxiety, thereby increasing the likelihood of chemical dependency.  These include:

• Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) deficiency
• Neurotransmitter deficiency (serotonin, GABA, adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, etc.)
• Metabolic cofactor deficiency
• Pyroluria
• Hypothyroidism
• Adrenal fatigue
• Intestinal yeast overgrowth
• Delayed onset food sensitivities
• Gluten intolerance
• And more

These “terrain issues” in the body need to be properly treated in order to make detoxification easier and to prevent relapse.

The mind and spirit

Addiction is a sickness of the mind, though. Despite biology and medicine’s rejection of it, the eminent psychotherapist Dr. Franz Alexander stated that “the fact that the mind rules the body is the most fundamental fact that we know about the process of life.”

The body is the messenger of the conflicts, enduring anxieties, repressed emotional traumas, distorted thought patterns, and other imbalances that reside inside the conscious and unconscious mind. The majority of physical diseases have their roots in consciousness.Many people have unpleasant memories of their early years, including instances of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as well as persistent patterns of neglect and suffocating control. Later on, there can be strained marriages, broken relationships, and the agony of loneliness. Many people endure decades of unfulfilling work, thwarted personal creativity, and the subdued desperation of a spirit that is slowly withering. These life events contribute to a never-ending cycle of recurring stressors such as unrelenting anxiety, depressive disorders, suppressed emotions, harmful beliefs, helplessness, hopelessness, and “giving up”.

Any form of illness is the body’s method of attracting your attention, inviting this introspection, and ultimately providing real healing.

Brain dis-ease – Reward Deficiency Syndrome

Neurotransmitters are brain molecules that aid in regulating mental states, including emotions. Serotonin and GABA reduce electrical activity in the brain, which helps people feel calmer, more at ease, or less anxious. Adrenaline and nor-adrenaline increase electrical activity regulation, enhancing motivation and excitement or decreasing apathy and despair. The “feel good” molecule in the brain is dopamine. These electro-chemicals’ dance produces emotional equilibrium and sensations of wellbeing.

Numerous issues can arise when the correct cascade, or flow, of these neuro-chemicals is hampered or when the brain’s receptors are blocked, including:

• Mood instability
• Irritability
• Agitation
• Hypersensitivity
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Apathy
• Impaired concentration
• Trouble focusing
• Despair

Numerous medical conditions and lifestyle factors, including as long-term stress, alcoholism, drug misuse, heredity, a poor diet, digestive problems and malabsorption, micronutrient deficiencies, and others, might impair the normal flow of neurotransmitters. The outcome might be Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) is the name given to a group of genetic chemical disorders in which the pleasure centres in the brain, which control emotions of well-being, are unable to receive the proper neural impulses. As a result, the brain emits frantic yearning signals. Depending on the substance or drugs consumed, different neuro-transmissions in the brains of addicts are impacted. Addicts consequently struggle with concentration, experience mood swings, for example, in addition to other medical symptoms. These signs are referred to as cravings and withdrawals together. Brain neurochemical imbalances are the cause of cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Alcohol and narcotics abuse are compulsive behaviours that are brought on by the Reward Deficiency Syndrome and are used to feel better, at least momentarily. In addition to drinking, individuals also engage in thrill-seeking activities like gambling, sex, and Internet porn, as well as nicotine, other stimulants, illegal narcotics, junk food, and sweets. Unfortunately, this only offers short-term respite and raises the potential of further long-term issues.

Summary:

How do we feel pleasure?

Every sense of pleasure we experience, from enjoying a delicious meal to falling in love, is closely correlated with the neurotransmitter dopamine’s availability in the synapses of the reward centre of the brain. Different emotions and attitudes are mediated by various neurotransmitters.

How do people become addicted?

Receptor function declines with continued use of addictive substances, necessitating higher consumption of drugs for pleasure or merely a feeling of well-being. The body develops a neurotransmission deficit when there are no exogenous chemicals present. Some people start using drugs to get high, while others unintentionally increase their prescription medication consumption to get the desired result. As there are addicts, there are also a variety of causes for addiction. In most cases, NO ONE begins by believing they will become a slave to an external power which completely consumes and controls their life.

What is withdrawal?

The addicted brain enters a frenzy that shows as the physical withdrawal symptoms when a chemically dependent individual is denied access to a drug to which s/he is addicted. The signs and symptoms, which include agitation, hallucinations, digestive disturbances, excruciating muscle pains, etc., might be fatal. Even though the body may be fully free of the addictive chemical upon withdrawal, the brain’s neurotransmitters are still out of balance. Physical cravings and an almost unbearable need to consume the drug again may result from this.

How does dependence and addiction to alcohol occur?

Endorphins, one of your feel-good neurotransmitters (conjure up the runner’s high), are released by drinking. The extent to which this is caused directly by physiological processes as opposed to our conscious and unconscious associations with the enjoyable effects of alcohol is a matter of considerable disagreement. Our subconscious associations with how the toxin known as alcohol “benefits” us emotionally are greatly influenced by all those commercials for beer, mountain streams, outdoor sports, and parties (yes, men, we’re talking to you), as well as girl’s nights watching the bachelor and sharing a bottle of wine (ladies, are you listening?!).

Your brain gradually begins to associate drinking with pleasure as a result. You could then begin to drink to get the same high. Even if you are aware that eating is unhealthy, it can be difficult to stop, especially as stress levels rise since the cravings may feel insurmountable.

We need to relearn the association between using a drug (alcohol) and it providing a source of pleasure if that is the issue. The Sinclair Method is said to break this association for some people almost immediately by revealing that they are simply drinking diluted ethanol and that the layers of associations—taste, bouquet, etc.—are all creative deceptions used to conceal the fact that they are ingesting a toxin.

Others, however, take longer to unlearn that link after repeating the same behaviours and conditions (conscious and subconscious) that first caused the reliance in order to weaken, relax, and break that connection.

We are aware that ethanol falls short. We are aware of how transient and shallow the enjoyment is. We are aware of its empty promises. However, there is a blind link that has set in so deeply that the desires are now actual physical pain.

The Sinclair Method reverses our ingrained reliance on alcohol by disconnecting the link between drinking and pleasure.

How the Sinclair Method Works

The Sinclair Method uses a drug called naltrexone to suppress endorphins when we drink in order to terminate the loop of pleasurable feedback. Alcohol does not give you the typical “buzz” or pleasure since endorphins are suppressed. You gradually lose interest in drinking as you partake in an increasing number of alcohol-free or very less enjoyable drinking sessions. Over the course of weeks and months, drinking normally decreases to normal or below-average social drinking rates.

The Sinclair Method at White Rock Naturopathic

We develop objectives with patients in collaboration; some strive for sobriety, while others want to cut back and recover control over their drinking.

The Sinclair Method can be applied alone, focusing on the behavioral therapy component of using naltrexone in combination with alcohol consumption in a mindfulness-based or cognitive behavioral approach; keeping track of intake, mood, stressors, and triggers, as well as how those things change from day to day or week to week. Our programs include weekly or bimonthly counseling sessions as well as access to an online patient portal for simple communication and self-monitoring/check-ins.

IV therapies such as NAD+ therapy, glutathione and myer’s vitamin infusions can be added to one’s program as needed. Likewise, following an initial naturopathic intake, in which general health is discussed, there may be other supplements and / or medications that may be recommended according to one’s health history and requirements.

Fore more information, please see our main Sinclair Method page here.